5.1 CIVIC EDUCATION 109 The right to repair is the principle according to which consumers should have access to the components, software, and information needed to fix products on their own or in independent repair shops rather than being forced to rely only on the manufacturer or authorised services. ONLINE RESOURCES Circular economy RECYCLING OF MATERIALS: E-WASTE The problem of e-waste The problem of e-waste has become a big issue in our society, as the use of electronic devices such as PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones has rapidly increased over the last few decades. Electronic devices are made of components containing chemicals, which can be toxic. If these components are discarded into the environment, they can contaminate soil, water, and air, which is harmful for human health and dangerous for wildlife survival. For this reason, it is vital to find solutions to avoid electronic waste pollution by reducing the amount of e-waste and learning to dispose of it properly. 1 2 to discard: scartare, eliminare to dismantle: smantellare to dispose of: smaltire long-lasting: di lunga durata to refurbish: ricondizionare 260 EXTRA How to reduce the amount of e-waste In order to reduce e-waste, all of us should: limit the number of electronic devices we buy; repair instead of buying new devices ; buy refurbished or second-hand devices instead of new ones; buy long-lasting products, choosing devices produced by companies with a good reputation for manufacturing durable products; donate working devices to charities or give them to someone who can use it. How to dispose of e-waste properly The correct way of disposing of e-waste is to drop it off at a recycling or waste collection centre. A good number of items of e-waste can be dismantled and their component parts used to make other products. Wasted: 50 million tonnes of e-waste every year posted by UN Environment Programme Watch the video and answer the questions. 1. How many tons of e-waste are produced in the world every year? 5. What is the solution to all this, according to the video? 2. How much of it is recycled? 6. What does circular economy do? 3. What happens to the rest? 7. What should industries do? 4. In what way are people responsible for the problem of e-waste? 8. What should governments do? Imagine you are an activist for the environment. You have to convince your government to promote measures for reducing e-waste. Prepare your speech and share it with the class. BUILT-IN OBSOLESCENCE Built-in obsolescence, also known as planned obsolescence, is a strategy where manufacturers intentionally design products to have a limited life in order to stimulate consumers to buy new ones. This can involve using cheaper and less durable components, making repair costs very high, designing software to be incompatible with new versions or continuously promoting new designs.